Virginia Point was a small community located at the edge of the Mainland. In 1840, a ferry operated across the bay to Galveston. When the Galveston, Houston, & Henderson Railroad was initially built, tracks were laid between Houston and Virginia Point. Before a bridge crossed the bay, passengers and goods had to be unloaded from trains, and carried by boat to Galveston where they were unloaded at the wharves. By 1860, a rail bridge connected Galveston to the Mainland, diminishing Virginia Point’s role except during times the rail bridge was damaged by storms.

Interurban rail cars on Virginia Point after the 1915 hurricaneCollection of the Galveston County Historical Museum, Courtesy of the Family of Serene Seele Brenner

During the Civil War, Galveston was one of the last large ports remaining in Confederate hands. So, in July 1861 the Union blockaded Galveston. However, on New Year’s Day 1863, Confederate soldiers stationed at Virginia Point launched an attack that recaptured Galveston.

Hurricanes continually damaged the small community that never consisted of more than a few homes, bait camps and a hotel. While the interstate was built in the 1940s and 1950s, the community was temporarily a hub of activity.